Accessing the great outdoors

Sean Kane-Holland is on a mission to make parks and trails more accessible for everyone. As Access Nature Disability Advocate at Pineland Preservation Alliance (PPA), he has evaluated dozens of trails throughout the state for barriers to people with disabilities. Sean understands many of these obstacles. “I use crutches and a wheelchair but I am a very active person,” says Kane-Holland. “I go kayaking by myself, I go hiking…I am very mobile.”

Yet, natural areas in New Jersey can be seriously challenging – if not impossible – for the one in four adults in the state that have a disability.  

There are many factors that discourage or outright prevent people from enjoying natural places. An overall lack of accommodation at many public spaces can leave visitors feeling unwanted, unsafe, and uncomfortable. Last year, Peri Nearon, executive director of New Jersey Division of Disability Services (DDS), attended an event with a woman who uses a wheelchair that admitted she had given up on nature. “She was scared,” says Nearon.

Given all we know about the physical and mental health benefits of spending time outdoors, we should be looking to increase access to outdoor spaces for everyone. That’s why Kane-Holland leads “Pinelands is for Everyone,” a local effort that has grown into a statewide initiative called “Nature: Accessible for All.” Edward J. Bloustein School and Duke Farms have come together with PPA to lead this effort to make recreating in nature a part of the lives of everyone regardless of ability. The program recently got an important boost of funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The partnership is focused on assisting in developing accessible outdoor recreation spaces and establishing accessible land and water-based eco-educational/recreational programs. An interactive map highlights Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Basking Ridge, Pennington Park in Delanco, Cattus Island County Park in Toms River, and more than 40 other outdoor sites with detailed information about amenities available for people with disabilities.

And the group has created a public forum that allows individuals with disabilities, advocacy groups, state and local governments, and private organizations offering outdoor recreation to have a productive public dialogue. Participants can put forth concerns, promote ideas, and help find solutions to achieve the goal of making New Jersey’s outdoors more inclusive and accessible to all those who want to enjoy its beauty.

“We are looking at shifting policies, changing systems, and reimagining environments so that they are more equitable, inclusive, and – of course – more accessible,” says Nearon.

What does accessibility look like when it comes to outdoor recreation? Access means different things for different people, which means there are many different options for enhancing it. The Disabled Hikers organization points out that, “There is no one-size-fits-all solution to creating accessible trails. Access needs vary widely among disabilities, and what is accessible to one disabled person may not be to another.”

The important thing is for agencies and organizations that manage outdoor spaces to look for opportunities to broaden the number of people who can enjoy those places, and provide reliable information on the accessible places that do exist. You might think expanding access would require huge changes, but often small adjustments can make a big difference. Most trail signage, for example, assumes people are walking or standing. Enhancing accessibility could include placing amenities like signs at multiple levels to accommodate people in wheelchairs. Some trails already meet important criteria for accessibility –  they are flat and sturdy, with an even trail bed and only slight slopes – and with just a few changes could meet the needs of many more visitors.

Larger initiatives include installing Braille trails that are designed with features that improve the experience for blind and low-vision visitors. New Jersey is already home to a handful, including the Morris Canal Greenway Trail in Stanhope, the Sensory Friendly Trail at Watchung Reservation in Mountainside, and the Garrett Family Preserve in Cape May. 

New Jersey’s transformation to more accessible outdoor spaces is in its infancy, but awareness is building around how important – and often easy – it can be to make changes that allow many more people to enjoy the great outdoors.